Hana Yori Dango [花より男子] Addictive, funny, entertaining... but also moving, to the point where I cried multiple times. Even if you didn't like the manga, I recommend this drama! The cast is so talented. Second season is also excellent.
Ichi Ritoru no Namida [１リットルの涙] I cried ceaselessly, but even so, I left the show feeling as if I had been given a new lease on life. Very touching and encouraging. Excellent OST - you must hear Konayuki!
Ikuta Toma [生田斗真] Absolutely amazing as Nakatsu in Hana-Kimi - the star of the show! I was impressed by his range as an an actor; he had me rolling with laughter and just as easily had tears rolling down my cheeks.
Miura Haruma [三浦春馬] Loved him in Bloody Monday seasons 1/2!! As an actor, he is not afraid to make incredibly ugly, weak, emotional-wreck sort of expressions, which sounds like an insult, but actually I mean this as the greatest compliment! He really gets down-and-dirty with his acting, which I wish more actors would, instead of just playing it safe. This ability to go wild with his acting makes Miura Haruma's performance unusually raw and powerful, I think, so props to him!
Nishikido Ryo [錦戸亮] He absolutely shone as Sosuke in Last Friends. I actually thought to myself, 'The way he acted that scene was interesting.'
Oguri Shun [小栗旬] He played Hanazawa Rui brilliantly! I felt little sympathy for the character in the manga, but in the drama, Oguri Shun managed to make me cry for his character... not for the story, not for the circumstances, but for the character and how lonely he was. He played Sano Izumi perfectly, too. P.S. Oguri Shun is unbearably sexy! I think he's my type.
ABINTRA's dramas (59)
Ace wo Nerae! [エースをねらえ!] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Overall a good, entertaining drama. I thought the subject matter of tennis was interesting and translated really well into a drama, especially with the stylish cinematography and so forth. There were also some interesting characters like Midorikawa and Reika, and complex, non-typical relationships between the characters (not just fluffy romance or pure friendship or absolute hatred, but rather subtler shades that blurred boundaries). At the same time, a lot of things in this drama rubbed me the wrong way. My main problem was that I never bought the main character as being a tennis prodigy, so she just came off as a lucky upstart who really was getting a lot of unfair special treatment. It was obnoxious and boring how the golden girl (and her love interest, the golden boy) seemed to win every single match and overcome all obstacles without so much as a hiccup, even when they didn't deserve it. I would've liked to see more character development and credit go to Reika, Midorikawa, and Ozaki for instance, who all seemed to have just as much or more talent than the main boy/girl but got pushed to the wayside.
Akihabara@DEEP [アキハバラ＠DEEP] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) I'd definitely recommend this drama. It's different from anything else out there, which kept me interested. Very funny. At first, the characters threw me off... like, these aren't your typical pretty, perfectly lovable characters! WTF! But I soon came to appreciate their lameness. XD Page is just too adorable! I want to marry him!
Anmitsu Hime: Special 1 [あんみつ姫] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) Pretty mediocre. Kinda seems like it was targeted towards children in terms of complexity/the intellectual level of the humor. (Was it?) Costumes were nice, and the character Ryu was totally smexy/epic, but otherwise not much to chew on here.
Anmitsu Hime: Special 2 [あんみつ姫] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) Eh, not very good... the first special was pretty average, and then this one didn't even really continue the story from the first in a meaningful way, so I liked it even less. The dance sequence for the ending credits was awesome, though! And I heart the parts with Ryu (though they were few and far between.)
Atashinchi no Danshi [アタシんちの男子] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) Pretty average drama. Quite funny at times, but didn't leave any lasting impression on me... this is pure popcorn entertainment. Pros: Cute boys, interesting premise. Cons: Cheesy, over-the-top, weak characterization.
Atsu-Hime [篤姫] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Informative yet entertaining drama, with lush period details and an elaborate web of politics and historical figures. Very touching at times. My main complaint is that it could've been condensed into fewer episodes... it was extremely interesting for a portion in the middle but dragged at the beginning and end. Overall, a worthwhile watch, if one has the time to invest in it!
Attention Please [アテンションン プリース] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) I quite enjoyed this series. It gave me a newfound appreciation for flight attendants and work in general.
Beautiful life [ビューティフルライフ] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Great drama! The best part was how well-developed and multidimensional the characterizations were -- you really got the sense that these could be real people. The romance had a really natural quality despite the unusual circumstances under which it developed.
Binbo Danshi [貧乏男子 (ボンビーメン)] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A reasonably entertaining drama - not really anything special, but cute in its own right. I thought the first and last episodes were the highlights, while it kind of lagged in the middle.
Bloody Monday [ブラッディ・マンデイ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) One of the better dramas I've seen... it actually, like, had a plot. O_O And Miura Haruma's acting was great! Talented guy, especially at crying. How can he cry so much!? Anyway, the plot was generally intriguing and had interesting twists and such. A few pieces didn't really fit for me, and I had to suspend my disbelief at parts, but I'll cut this show some slack because the plot was a hundred times more complicated than any other JDorama I've seen thus far. The main problem I have is that the ending was kind of anticlimactic and didn't resolve things to my satisfaction. But overall a brilliant show, well worth watching.
Bloody Monday Season 2 [ブラッディ・マンデイ-シーズン2-] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) I just about died of happiness when I found out there is a second season of this show - I love Blood Monday!! It is really intense, dramatic, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Miura Haruma is an awesome, emotionally charged actor, and as the lead he is able to carry the whole show basically on his own. Also some interesting, ambiguous characters and relationships, such as between J and his doctor. On the downside, a lot of the plot feels kinda contrived/shocking just for the sake of shocking/doesn't necessarily make logical sense, but if you suspend your disbelief a bit, it is nevertheless an enjoyable ride. I like. :D
Densha Otoko [電車男] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Good drama. Personally I thought the real life parts were well done, whereas the online parts were too over-the-top and neither very moving nor very amusing. Overall, though, it's worth watching.
Dragon Zakura [ドラゴン桜] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Entertaining drama, but not the freshest thing ever and the teacher is kind of a dick/the drama has questionable messages. Also I have to say that although I like Yamashita Tomohisa and Koike Teppei, I didn't think their acting was very good in this drama, lol. But that aside, watching this was still a good way to kill some time, and it wasn't bad by any means. A nice, light, fluffy drama if you are in the mood for that sort of thing.
Gachi Baka ! [ガチバカ !] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) I know I'm in the minority, but I preferred this drama to the acclaimed Gokusen. Much less repetitive.
Galileo [ガリレオ] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) I enjoyed this drama overall, but the cases were a bit hit and miss, some being a lot more interesting than others. The movie was AMAZING, one of the most moving and thought-provoking JDorama I've had the pleasure of watching... I was bawling! So I'd recommend watching this series just for the sake of seeing and fully appreciating the movie. :3
Gokusen [ごくせん] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Enjoyable, but not exceptional. I'd recommend many other dramas over Gokusen.
Pros: The comedic parts. Nakama Yukie's acting. Lots of eyecandy.
Cons: Gets repetitive. Not enough character depth.
Gokusen Season 2 [ごくせん２] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Pros: A fresh set of eyecandy. Still well-acted, amusing, and generally entertaining. Cons: If the first season was repetitive, this one is doubly so - no surprises here. Only one student from the first season, Kuma, makes cameos - the others aren't even mentioned.
Gokusen Season 3 [ごくせん 3] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Definitely my least favorite season, but it grew on me as I watched it. Pros: Still relatively amusing. Cons: By this point, I could predict what was going to happen next all too often, and it was getting eyeroll-worthy, zoning-out-from-boredom formulaic. Whenever a fight scene started, I was like, oh god, do I have to watch this again!? Pretty boys aren't even in the same league as previous seasons. And again, only Kuma makes cameos.
GTO [麻辣教師] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Good, not great. I don't think this deserves to be the highest ranked show on this site.
Hachimitsu to Kuroba [ハチミツとクローバー] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) I wouldn't really recommend it, though it did have its moments and Ikuta Toma was awesome as always. I admit I'm not a big fan of the manga, but the drama could've done more with the source material; I expected this to be funnier. I felt inspired, though, to get out my paints.
Hanayome wa Yakudoshi! [花嫁は厄年ッ！] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Surprisingly enjoyable. It sounds like a totally B series, but I really came to care about the characters and their relationships.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e [花ざかりの君たちへ] Rating: 10/10 (Watched) If you only had time to watch one more drama, I'd have to say, make it this one. Hana-Kimi is laugh-out-loud funny, and Nakatsu (especially portrayed by the excessively talented Ikuta Toma) is a character you just have to meet! This drama may not be perfectly executed, and it's not exactly an accurate adaptation of the manga, but it's so funny that its flaws can be forgiven. How I long for more episodes!
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora [半分の月がのぼる空] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) Meh, pretty average, low budget-y kind of drama but mildly entertaining. Had some good moments esp. at the end. Buuut I wouldn't really go out of my way to watch it.
Ichi Ritoru no Namida [１リットルの涙] Rating: 10/10 (Watched) This is the first JDorama I watched... the reason I fell in love with JDorama in the first place. This is definitely a drama that sticks with you, and even changes your outlook. HIGHLY recommended.
Kamisama mou sukoshi dake [神様、もう少しだけ] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) Surprisingly bad. I was looking forward to watching this drama for a long time because I thought the title was pretty and poetic, but I laughed more than I cried... and not when I was supposed to be laughing. The heroine was so whiny and annoying, I actually started rooting for her death. I watched it all the way through, but I am a perfectionist who must finish tasks, so that doesn't mean much. Pros: Pretty opening video and title; not boring, just lame.
Kimi wa Petto [きみはペット] Rating: 2/10 (Watched) The worst drama I've ever seen. You should only watch Kimi wa Petto if you want to torture yourself, waste your precious time on earth, etc. The premise is interesting enough, but then every storytelling cliche known to man gets heaped on top of it as well as dislikeable characters.
Kindaichi shonen no Jikenbo (2005) [金田一少年の事件簿] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) It was OK. I didn't figure out who the killer was, but I figured out the tricks behind the murder basically... it wasn't exceptionally clever. Not much character development, but that might be because this is the first Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo thing I've seen. I'd recommend it only if you really like mysteries or are already a Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo fan.
Kurosagi [クロサギ] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) I hate to give this such a low rating, because Yamashita Tomohisa, Horikita Maki, and Ichikawa Yui all acted admirably, but this is the most boring drama I've seen. It was incredibly repetitive, and to top it all off, there was that dastardly plot device of a love triangle. Yawn.
Last Friends [ラスト・フレンズ] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) This drama deals with interesting themes - but it executes them in ways that are somewhat repetitive and trite, and falls far short of greatness. Sosuke was definitely the highlight for me; multi-dimensional, intriguing character, acted exquisitely by Nishikido Ryou. On the other hand, Michiru... one of the worst characters ever. It all evened out to a decent show, though nothing recommendable.
LIFE [ライフ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) I could watch a million seasons of LIFE - it's just that addictive. Took off a point because Ayumu's defining characteristic in the manga, her struggle with self-mutilation, wasn't even touched upon.
Long vacation [ロングバケーション] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Doesn't deserve to be ranked 7th best drama on this site, but overall, a good show. The characters were interesting... a little slow though, and unrealistic.
Love Shuffle [ラブシャッフル] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Excellent drama, very entertaining to watch! I thought the first half especially was amazing, then my interest tapered off a bit in the second half when the couples became obvious and the suspense lessened, but still good throughout. Definitely a unique idea for a drama, with lots of funny moments, some thought-provoking stuff about relationships, and a memorable cast of characters. Yay panda?
Lunch no Joou [ランチの女王] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) The definition of mediocre... neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad. Entertaining at a basic level, but in the grand scheme of things, forgettable.
Mahiru no tsuki [真晝の月] Rating: 7/10 Enjoyable and entertaining, but don't go into this series expecting an endless array of plot twists. This is a character-based drama.
Maison Ikkoku [めぞん一刻] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) Decently entertaining but nothing special.
Majo no jouken [魔女の条件] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Decent drama. I wouldn't put it at the top of your list of shows to watch or anything. Interesting concept, but it could have been executed a lot better. The two main characters felt fairly hollow to me; they were too defined by their taboo relationship and lacked individuality. Not much chemistry between them, either. Ah well.
Maou [魔王] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) We have a winner! This is a gripping, interesting, smartly done drama... one that raises questions and really makes you think about "right" vs. "wrong". It's actually more of a character study than a mystery, which surprised me, but what it does, it does extremely well. Good acting all around, moving finale, etc. etc. Highly recommended!
Mei-chan no Shitsuji [メイちゃんの執事] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Entertaining and stylish. Amazing premise for a drama, but it wasn't executed to its fullest potential, alas. Mei and Rihito were pretty flat characters, IMO... especially Mei. *kicks her to the curb*
Nobuta wo Produce [野ブタ。をプロデュース] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) An excellent drama! I was turned off during the first episode, but stick with it -- by the end, I was begging for more episodes and had become extremely emotionally invested in the characters and their relationships. Unique and memorable.
Nodame Cantabile [のだめ カンタビ−レ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) What can I say, this whole franchise kicks ass. Truly hilarious.
Otomen [オトメン(乙男)] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Hmm... decently good but not great. It's an interesting idea for a drama, good acting all around, hot guys, funny sometimes (kind of hit-or-miss for the humor)... the main pitfall is that it is told in a very cliche, exaggerated, shojo manga style. I guess this makes sense because it is based on a shojo manga, after all, but it seems like the story could've been a bit more original rather than pulling out every shojo manga trick in the bag. Maybe I've just read too much shojo manga and know all too well what to expect...
Proposal Daisakusen [プロポーズ大作戦] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) This was a tearjerker for me! I can't count how many times I cried. The romance was handled really well. The themes of getting second chance and childhood friends combined powerfully. Don't miss it.
RHPlus [RHプラス] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Good drama, pretty entertaining and funny. I love vampire stuff~ so maybe I am biased~
Ryusei no Kizuna [流星の絆] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Mediocre drama... extremely mediocre... I absolutely loved the premise, so I give it points for that, but from the first episode to the last this drama just didn't live up to my expectations. It was neither mysterious nor moving, though admittedly funny at parts. Simply put, it was a disappointment.
Samurai High School [サムライ・ハイスクール] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Pretty silly/pointless but still amusing to watch. Miura Haruma is definitely a talented actor; he can play extremely different characters convincingly and with ease.
Satorare [サトラレ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) Really interesting! The premise for this drama is super original, unlike anything I've personally seen or read before. The concept of satorare is fascinating really, and it was able to put a unique spin on everything, transforming plot devices that may have otherwise been cliche into hysterical, laugh-out-loud situations. Also I think the relationship between the two main characters was developed well and was pretty believable considering the circumstances - good chemistry. My only real complaint is that the ending felt kind of rushed, which seems to be a common problem with dramas... I would've liked another episode or two to really wrap things up.
Seigi no Mikata [正義の味方] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) Excellent drama!! Very funny, in every episode, to the point of laughing out loud. I was always eager to watch the next episode and see how the plot advanced. The characters were unique and very likable, good acting especially by the two lead actresses, interesting fashion design, etc. etc. I don't really have anything bad to say. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece, but definitely entertaining and worth watching!
Seikei Bijin [整形美人。] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) A fairly entertaining drama. It was funny and touching at times, and made me think a bit, but ultimately didn't live up to what it could've been. I think the relationships, moral issues, etc. weren't resolved in a way that left me totally satisfied and on board with the show. Not a bad drama by any means, though.
Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu [世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) This drama is a must-see! Elegant, polished storytelling. An emotional explosion. One point deduction due to the special being abysmally disappointing.
Shibatora [シバトラ] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A cute, entertaining drama. Very funny at times. I adore Koike Teppei~~ ESPECIALLY IN A MAID COSTUME OMG~~~ But to be totally honest, the plot and characters were kinda cheesy. I had a lot of fun watching this drama, though, overall. :3
Stand UP!! Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Worth watching, if only for the eye candy. I got to see Oguri Shun's buttocks!! It was really fun to have Oguri Shun, Yamashita Tomohisa, and Narimiya Hiroki in the same show, and I was entertained throughout, which is the most important thing.
Summer snow Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Worth watching. A good series overall, but it totally fell apart in the last episode, IMO. Also, I found the summary and title misleading. I was expecting angst, but was pleasantly surprised by the slice-of-life, upbeat and sweet feelings. Oguri Shun's acting pwned, to state the obvious, and the two leads were excellent as well.
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi [たったひとつの恋] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) It was good, I guess. I don't know, I don't feel very strongly about this drama one way or the other. The last two episodes mixed things up and got extra interesting, but before that, kinda mediocre.
Water Boys [ウォーターボーイズ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) Hilarious drama!! The best one I've seen in a long time. Lots of eyecandy of boys in speedos, grabbing each other's butts, and so on and so forth. My inner yaoi fangirl rejoiced.
Water Boys Season 2 [ウォーターボーイズ2] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) The sequel is far inferior to the first season (as is usually the case), but Water Boys 2 is still very enjoyable and worth watching.
Yasuko to Kenji [ヤスコとケンジ] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Not the best drama ever, but not the worst. I laughed, I cried, I conquered. Overall pretty good.
Zettai Kareshi [絶対彼氏] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) This drama was surprisingly quite good! I absolutely loathed the manga, but the drama is so different from the manga it is essentially a different story, so it seems a flower bloomed from the shit. This show was laugh-out-loud funny every episode, and actually had some decent depth to the story and characters (esp. compared to the original manga). The special was also pretty good although not really needed because the series was already satisfactory in and of itself. Oh and also Hayami Mokomichi did a great job acting, I totally bought him as a robot!!
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Bloody Monday [ブラッディ・マンデイ]
Ikuta Toma [生田斗真]
